WILLIAM JENNINGS ROBERTS, JR
Pilots at Lawdraker Rd, Apex, NC

6076522, Jun 20, 2000

Nov 12, 1998

9/180648

Sarvajna Kumar Dwivedi - San Diego CA
William Leroy Roberts - Apex NC
Mark Joseph Sacchetti - Raleigh NC
Michiel Mary Van Oort - Durham NC

Glaxo Wellcome Inc. - Research Triangle Park NC

A61M 1500

12820315

An apparatus (100) adapted for applying to a carrier (C) a suspension (S) comprising a suspending agent and a powdered medicament. The apparatus (110) includes a reservoir (110), a junction container (120) adapted to contain a liquid, an outlet line (130) extending from the reservoir (110) and through the junction container (120) to a pump (P), a nozzle (160) connected to the pump (P) and a sonicator (150) operatively connected to the junction container (120). The reservoir (110) is adapted to maintain the agent and the medicament admixed in suspension. The nozzle (160) is formed from an inner cylinder (161) disposed within an outer cylinder (162), thereby defining a space (X) therebetween, and includes a purge line (165) fluidly connected with the outer cylinder (162) for providing a gas jet to the space (X). The sonicator (150) creates waves in the liquid in the container (110) to help prevent the suspension (S) from flocculating as it travels through the outlet line (130) from the reservoir (110) and to the pump (P). The pump (P) expels the suspension (S) through the nozzle (160) to the carrier (C), and a gas jet (GJ) from the purge line (165) prevents capillary forces from allowing the suspension (S) to collect around the tip (T) of the inner cylinder (161) of the nozzle (160).